Untitled
by FeeLache
Summary: It took Thackery 3 centuries to realize that she was more than just a childhood friend to him.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome. Erm.  
'Tis my first story. Be nice. D:  
Do I still have to do disclaimers? Eeek. Erm. Don't own Thackery, Winnie, Mary, Sarah nor anyone else. Except for Annabelle and Isabel Moriarity and their parents.

**Chapter 1**

"_Come little children. I'll take thee away_..."

The melodic voiced swayed in the wind. It was carried throughout the hills and played along the leaves of the trees. It danced amoungst the houses and echoed off into the distance. It was sickly soothing. A rich tune that was sang from the lips and tongue of a harpy. The horses and other animals broke out into a wild frenzy. Never before had they been spooked in their whole lives than today. The horses neighed and kicked wildly in their stalls, wanting to run free and escape this nightmare. The chickens sqwacked, the sheep bleated and Annabelle awoke with a start. Soaked in sweat, chest heaving and heart racing. Something was terribly wrong.

She peeked around her room in the very dim light. It was barely dawn. She rubbed her eyes, wondering what all the commotion was about down in the barn yard. She never really liked the animals much. She hated milking the cows, collecting the eggs and petting the horses. She yawned and even though a terrible sense of dread filled her, she layed back down to continue sleeping. It was way too early to get up. But just than, a weird sensation swept through her body. The bed felt a bit more empty than it had before. Than she noticed that her blanket wasn't stretched out.

She quickly held her breath and reached out to caress the spot next to her. It was empty.

"_Into my garden of magic_."

She gasped. Isabel was missing! That fimilar small body and thick locks of blond hair was absent from the bed. A wave of panic rose up into her throat and she felt the urge to puke. She couldn't believe it. Where could have that girl run off to _this_ time!? She quickly yanked off the white blanket and pulled on her blue dress. The one she wore to go out and play. Her uncle was a tailor and he had made it for her as a 12th birthday gift. That was 3 years ago. She had grown taller since than and it barely reached past her knees. She needed a new one soon and she new that this year her mother would prevent her father's brother from making her a dress like this one again. Her dress was made in a fashion her uncle had seen on the eastcoast. It was beautiful and the dress was blue. A fairly rare color amongst the town of Salem. It had a white lace collar around her neck and her uncle had gotten her a pair of black, shiney boys shoes for her to run around and play in. Along with dark stockings she could pull up to below her knees to prevent her from getting posion ivy on her legs. She destroyed all her nice shoes. Making her mother angry and frustrated. Everything she did seemed to frustrate her mother. But she didn't care. It was who she was.

Now Isabel on the other hand. She was the little angel in the family. Only the age of 6, she dressed in everything her mom made her. Even those repulsive bonnets. She loved dolls, was quiet, bashful and absolutly adorable. Annabelle was nothing like her sister. She was always ripping her bonnets to shreds until her mom finally ceased to make them for her. She burnt dolls, ran around in the woods, jumped and swam in creeks, wrestled in the mud, caught bugs, and scrapped her knees. All like a boy. When she was in school, she was known to spit on the ground at boy's feet. Even beat them up. The boys found her annoying, the girls found her repulsive and rude. Her mother gave up on trying to beat her rebellious daughter. Her daughter just didn't care.

Anabelle growled in frustration as she searched the small farm house her family shared. Isabel was up to her old tricks again. Whenever Isabel had a chance to be an actual kid instead of one of her mother's dolls, she was off playing hide and seek. Hiding from Annabelle and making Anna feel like a fool. Anna had never been good at the game of hide and seek. She despised it with a passion. She searched the whole house for Isabel. She had finally found herself digging through the cabinets in the kitchen when she spotted the most peculiar thing out at the edge of the forest. A white blur racing away. Distant humming and a flutter of purple in the dim morning light.

"Isabel!!!"

Before you could even blink, Anna was bolting out the door, sloushing through the mud in front of the barn and into the fields. As she sprinted into the fields, long curtain of thick dark curls waving in the wind, Thackery Binx and his friend Elijah spotted her. She was one of the fastest girls in Salem. She flew by in a blur of black and blue. Thackery Binx stared at her as she ran into the fields.

"ANNA!"

He raced after her, followed soon by Elijah. Both of them pale and wid eyed. They had heard that dreadful song too and had seen the nightmare unfold. The sickening sweet voice that sung her hypnotic words across the town. Thackery and Elijah froze at the edge of the fields as they spotted two white blurs entering the forest.

"Look! They conjure..." Elijah said with a tone of fearful sympathy.

"Oh god! The woods!"

"ISABEL!" Anna was racing through the field, her legs and calves aching from the strain.

"EMILY!!!"

Both boy's eyes were wide with fear as they watched Anna race through the grass and two white blurs dissapear into the forest. Giggling could be heard echoing throughout the gloom. It reached Thackery's ears and his heart nearly stopped.

"She's done for!" Elijah cried.

Thackery turned to him, grabbing a hold of his shoulder. Frantic look, speaking quickly and firmly.  
"Not yet! You wake my father! Summon the elders! GO!!!"

Elijah, without taking his eyes off Annabelle, who was pursuing Isabel and Emily, turned and dashed away. Stumbling as he went. Thackery bit his lip and stared at the form of Annabelle, already halfway through the fields. He quickly took off, ponytail bouncing against his neck, shirt hanging and flying open as he raced towards the small boned Annabelle. His strong muscular legs carrying him more farther into the field more quickly than Annabelle's had.

"EMILY!"

The sound of Thackery's voice reached her ears. She did not stop to turn back. She had to get to her sister as fast as she could. Annabelle's lungs felt like they were on fire. They felt as if they would collapse. As she reached the edge of the woods she fought off the urge to rest with all her might and leaped over a log. But soon she felt her self flying through the air and the ground and thick blanket of leaves meet her as a pair of arms grasped her around the middle. She screamed and rolled down the large hill. Dodging some trees, landing all tangled up in the limbs of Thackery Binx. A bit dazed and confused, she got to her feet, rubbing her head. She glared down at him.

"What do you think you are doing, Thackery Binx!? Pushing me like that! What are you doing following me?!"

Right when he had sat up and looked her in the eyes, she immediatly realized that he was here for the same reason she was. He was searching for something. Something precisous to him. He looked at her, sadness and regret in his eyes, panting wildly.

"Emily has been taken."

She sighed and held out her hand, helping him to his feet. She gave him a sympathetic look.

"Isabel has been taken aswell..." She muttered. Thackery gave her a very scared look and she let out a deep sigh.

"Come quickly! We do not have time to waste! HURRY!" She exclaimed. She turned, darted away and was gone in a flash.

Thackery followed without question. Both of them knew the way to the Sanderson sisters' house. As kids they both had been dared to go there. As it was tradition for the older children to pressure the younger ones. All they would have to do is go to the house, touch it, rip off a piece of paint or wood from it as proof and return. Making you one of them. Bringing you into their circle of friends. It was a ridiculus tradition amongst the children. One that got you paddled if your parents found out. But Anna's parents never found out about her visit. Thackery's parents did. He never dared to go near that house again.

There was barley light shining through the tops of the trees into the forest. Even though it was morning the cut off sunlight gave it the illusion of night time. By the time they reached the rotting house, Anna had grown a bit nervous. It was way too dark. But she had to brave it. Find the courage to keep on going and save her sister.

By the time they arrived the two girls passed right through the door and into the witches' hungry arms. Anna was panting heavily as she and Thackery sneaked over to the window, pushing it open gently and both peering in. Isabel was seated in a chair much too large for her. Seated to her right was Emily. Both were being circled by the witches. Isabel looked pale and sick. It tugged at Anna's heart to see her sister look so brainwashed and dazed. She looked dead. In a trance of some sort. Annabelle wanted to cry, run in there and just snatch her away and never stop running away from this dreadful place until she was on the other side of the state. But unfourtantly, it never would happen. Emily had looked up and her eyes had met Thackery's. Anna heard him faintly mutter his sister's name and all three of the witches jerked up, their gaze resting on the window. Both him and Annabelle gasped and she grabbed Thackery's collar, pulling him down out of view, closing the shutter a bit.

Anna put a finger to her lips and stared at Thackery. The universal sign to be as quiet as possible. In her eyes he saw deternination, but also fear. He knew what she was thinking. He knew it all to well. They had to sneak into the house to save their sisters.

Anna stared into his eyes for the longest time. The poor young boy was just about her age. It looked as if he might burst into tears right then and there. She felt bad for him. She had attended school with Thackery and new his love for his sister ran deep. Just as deep as her love for Isabel. She also realized that her sister and his were best friends. She recalled the many times Emily had come over to her house to play dolls with Isabel. She rested her hand on his shoulder for comfort and than turned around, quickly darting through knee deep water, squeezing around a turning water wheel. Thackery sniffed a bit and followed. It sounded like the damp was getting to him. She could only imagine how he must have felt in that thin white shirt of his.

As they both got past the wheel, Anna heard a squeak. The shutters had been opened and she could sense Winnifred scanning the darkness for them. Anna snuck quietly up to the side of the house and was about to peek around the corner to look at the front door when it swung wide open. The two remaining sisters stepped out of the cottage. Anna held back a gasp and fell back against the wall, pushing Thackery up against it and out of view. She was panting extremely hard and was trying really hard not to shiver due to the cold and dampness of her dress aswell as her hair.

As she stood there, back pressed against the side of the house, she could hear Winnifred complaining about the morning in her scratchy and hideous voice. It made Anna want to puke. But soon, to their relief, Winnifred called her two sisters back into the house. They scrambled up the stairs, whining for their sister.

"We're coming Winnie!"

"Sorry!"

"OOF!"

They shoved and pushed their way into the house and Anna could hear their muffled talking. Winnie claiming it must have just been an imp. Her sisters babbling on idiotically. Her cooing and sweet talking her book as if it were her child. It made Anna gag. Soon the two other sisters were quarreling again. Winnie shut the fat one up and Anna knew that they would start conjuring their spell soon. She could feel it in her bones. She had to do something, and fast. Before it was too late.

She looked around and than she froze. Her eyes resting on the slowly spinning water wheel. She took a deep breathe and stepped around Thackery. He watched her with curiousity. The small girl he had once knew who as always breaking the boy's noses and playing kick ball at recess instead of jump rope. He watched her approach the water wheel and latch onto it. His eyes traveled with her as she slowly rose to the top. He quickly turned away with a blush creeping up his face when she was high enough to where he could see under her dress. She seemed to not care about that at all. She stepped off the wheel and motioned for him to follow her up. He did without hesitation. He had to get Emily back.

With him barefoot, shirt torn from their fall in the woods. Her with her hair a mess, face and dress covered in mud. Both of them soaked to the bone. They stepped through the window. Anna going first.Thackery following close behind. She pressed her self down as close to the floor as possible, peeking down at the sisters and a bubbling cauldron. Winnifred was reading from her book. Chanting and reading off ingredients.

"Dead man's toe! DEAD MAN'S TOE!" The blonde sister, Sarah, began to chant as she danced around. Her locks of blonde hair bouncing everywhere. Thackery laid next to Anna, peeking down at them too. A deeply troubled look played across his face. Soon after some fighting and yelling, they had got the toe in and Winnifred was back into deep concentration.

As Mary giggled her eyes drifted upward and rested on Thackery and Anna. They both quickly hid, Thackery twisting around onto his back beside Anna. She pressed her face down against the wood, panting heavily. Things had taken a turn for the worse.

Mary Sanderson started to sniff the air. Like some sort of animal hunting for its prey. Anna noticed this and a shiver of disgust ran up her spine. The fat ugly witch turned to her elder sister and whimpered.

"Winnie!" She giggled. "I smell children!"

Anna and Thackery both shuddered and huddled close together.

"Neeh!" Winnifred cried. She pointed to young Emily and Isabel. "What dost thou call that!?"

Mary withdrew and whined a bit, whispering. "Children."

"HUMPH!"

Winnifred sighed and growled in annoyance and went back to her potion. Rolling her eyes at her idiotic sisters. Sarah continued to dace merrily about while babbling on about nothing that made sense.

Annabelle dug her nails into the wooden boards, trembling. Thackery could feel her shaking form for her shoulder was pressed up against his. He noticed his panting was more heavy than it had been moments before. He didn't realize it, for no one had taught him about changing into a man, but he surely felt his horomones kicking in. Annabelle could care less. She had started going through pubirty but had taken little notice to Thackery with the dissapearing of his baby fat, his voice deepening a bit and his growth spurt kicking in. She wasn't that type of girl. What did momma call them? Tartes?

"Gather round my sisters!!!"

Thackery and Annabelle immediatly froze as they watched the three witch circle around Winnie's bubbling cauldron. They were ready to get down to business. Annabelle knew that they were ready to cast their spell and hurt the two little girls. She bit her lip as she held back tears and quickly looked at Thackery, a fearful look in her eyes. She sent him secret pleads. Begging him to think of something. She had lead him this far but was fresh out of ideas. She knew they possesed magic and knew very well that her and Thackery were no match for their magic. She wanted to cry so hard. Just break down right there. But her pride held her tears back and she turned back to the sisters, deciding that she had no choice but to do something rational when the time came. _Wait to the last possible moment_, she concluded.

"One more thing and all is done." Winnie growled. A blood thirsty look on her face, she waved her hands dramatically and smirked. Her sisters watched her closely, hanging onto every word she said.

"Yeah."

"Add a bit of thine own tongue!"

Anna shuddered as the trio all took a deep breathe and bit down on their tongues. Spatting the blood and any chunks of flesh they had managed to cut off in the process, into the smoking pot. Annabelle looked away and held back a gag. The cauldron hissed and Anna turned back just in time to see the smoke bellowing from it turn a nasty green color.

"Oh, Winnie, thou art divine!" Mary exclaimed. Winnie waft it with her hand, smirking as she took in the aroma of her brew.  
"'Tis ready for tasting."

Annabelle turned to Thackery and saw him glaring. His breath coming out short, quick and heavy. He was holding back his rage. She wished silently for him to lose control so she could as well. She desired to release her rage and anger down on the witches below but held herself back. Embaressment was the reason for the first time in her life. Her heart quickly skipped a beat as Winnie said with a hungry look.

"One drop of this and their lifes will be mine!" She was spooning some of the oozing green liguid into a large wooden spoon.

"I mean, ours."

"Yes."

That was when Annabelle knew they were out of time. If they were going to do something to save their sister's lifes, than now was the time to take action.

"All right, girls!" The witches advanced towards the girls, Winnie holding out a spoon to Emily, Mary holding a second spoon of potion out to Isabel. Annabelle's chest heaved and her eyes watered. She could faintly hear her own voice. "T-thackery..." Her voice sounded weak. Fragile.

"Open up your mouths!"

"NO!!!"

Thackery was on his feet and Annabelle had leaped to hers as Sarah's hand rested on Isabel's head. The witchs jerked around and gasped at them. They let out deep growls and deathly glares.

"A boy!!"

"And a girl!"

Thackery took Annabelle's hand and she glared at the witches as they both took a flying leap off the platform. They both landed with a loud thud next to their oozing cauldron. Annabelle to the right of Thackery. She stood up tall and defiant, even though her insides trembled with fear. She had never come face to face with a witch before. She had heard so many rumors about them. Everything she had heard was racing through her mind right then and there. Her heart slammed against her chest as the adrenaline started pumping through her veins.

"GET THEM YOU FOOLS!" Winnifred screeched at her sisters. The sisters were in a panic. They started stalking towards Thackery and Anna.

Mary smiled and giggled, crowing.  
"I got him. I knew I smelled a boy!"

With both Anna and Thackery there, it was easy to confuse the witchs. Thackery racing to one side of the cauldron, Anna the other. Sarah and Mary were so confused about who should chase who. Winnifred barked at them all.

"GET AWAY FROM MY CAULDRON!"

The sisters seemed to thick headed to understand why Winnie was barking at them for that. But Anna knew. It clicked in her mind, like a match being light. She smirked as she swayed from side to side, knees bet, trying to trick Mary and dodge around her. Finally, the sisters had managed to trap Thackery and Anna behind one side of the cauldron. Being the air heads they were, started swinging the cauldron at them. Hoping that they could knock the two teenagers off their feet. Thackery and Anna, as if on mental cue, both grabbed the other side of the cauldron and shoved it back towards the sisters. The force of two strong adoulescents forced the cauldron into the two wrinkly witches. The heavy hunk of iron smacked into them and sent them both flying into a table and sprawling onto the floor.

Anna stared at them as she panted, she quickly grabbed the swinging pot without thinking and yelped some as it seared her hands. With a groan and all her strength pushed into it, she heaved it over. All the potion Winnifred had struggled to make gushed out onto the floor in green rivulets. All three of the witches screamed in horror and anger.

"MY POTION!"  
Winnifred was reaching out to it. Looking as if she was dying inside. Thackery quickly leaped over the pot and raced towards the two small girls.

"EMILY!"

Annabelle shook her head and cried out in as she watched Winnie send lighting shooting out from her fingertips. To Anna's horror it stopped Thackery in his tracks. He let out a yelp of pain as he was thrown back from Emily, his fingers barely reaching her. He collapsed to his knees, screaming out in agony. Than with a thump he was faced down on the floor.

"THACKERY!"

As soon as she had made a move to run to his side, she felt her feet leave the wooden floor. She gasped and groaned as she felt two slender and pale arms encircle her waist. Sarah giggled as she tossed Annabelle against the cauldron, a loud dinging sound could be heard as Annabelle's head hit the side of the cauldron, throwing her into a complete daze. She layed there moaning a bit.

Mary slowly got to her feet and barked at both teenagers laying on the ground. Both on the verge of going unconcious. But suddenly she turned to the two girls and beamed.

"Winnie."

Winnifred turned around and smirked when she saw the two girls, a whitish blurring aura surronding them. Winnifred rejoiced and crowed to her sisters.

"Ah! Sisters, prepare thyselves. 'Tis their life force. The potion works!" All the sisters screamed joyously as they gathered around alongside their older sister Winnifred.

"Take my hands!" Winnifred clamped her hands around her two sisters. "We willl share them."  
Marry giggled. "Oh, Winnie, how generous of thee."

The trio encircled the girls, beaming. They hunched down over the girls and puckered up their lips. Annabelle struggled to her feet, her head pounding. She was rubbing her head and still a bit dazed when the sisters began to inhale the essence of her sister's lfe. Drinking it as if they were in a desert and the girls were the only cups of water they would ever recieve. Annabelle noticed Thackery still on the floor. Winnie must have shocked him good. She rushed over to him and bent down, taking up his arm in her small slender ones. Groaning as she put all her might into yanking him to his feet.

"Get up!"

She pleaded as she helped him get to his feet. He grasped a hold of a ladder, hoisting himself up and supporting himself with Anna's help. They huddled there, Thackery's arm slung across Anna's shoulder. She was trembling and she could feel her head bleeding from where Sarah had busted it open. They finally jumped at the sight of the sisters all squealing in joy.

"Sisters, BEHOLD!"

"I am BEAUTIFUL! Boys will LOVE me!"  
"We're young!"

All of them were laughing in those venomous voices. Anna knew right than and there as she spotted Winnie examining herself in a mirror that it was too late for Emily and Isabel. They had failed to save their sisters. A pang of quilt and self loathing surged through her and she almost shed a tear. She quickly forced the tears back for the feelings in her heart were replaced by hate and rage. She was going to kill those witches and avenge her and Thackery's sisters.

"Oh, well... younger. But.. its a start!" Winnifred threw up her arms and cackled. "Sisters!"

Her and her two younger sisters all gathered in a circle, their hands raised and joined together in the air. They turned and danced in a slow circle as Winnie cackled full of mirth.

Mary giggled.  
"Ooh, Winifred, thou art a mere sprig of a girl."

"Liar!" Winnie exclaimed, beaming. "But I shall be a sprig forever once I suck the life out of all the children in Salem!"

Thackery let out a groan of anger. Annabelle glared at the witches as they stopped their merry dance and growled. Stalking towards them. "Let's brew another batch!"

"You hag!" Thackery called out. Panting, he leaned against Anna.

Annabelle glared at Winnie as well. She was jealous. She was going to get a say in this aswell! Thackery was not going to take all the glory of saying something to the witches' faces! She growled at Winnie as the sisters jerked away.

"There are not enough children in the world to make thee young and beautiful!!!" She had her fist clenched tightly as she spoke her words of rage. Hatred dripping from the words that eminated from her mouth. Winifred seemed to not have taken notice to what Anna had said, but to what Thackery had cursed. She flicked out her long claw like nails and hissed.

"Hag."  
"Uh-oh." Her sisters whispered. Like Thackery had just commited a mortal sin. One that was not going to go unpunished.  
"Sisters, did you hear what he called you?"

Annabelle shook her head and had the urge to cry.  
"_You are the evil old hag_!" But the words never came out. She never knew to this day why she hadn't shouted it aswell. Maybe she would have had been equally punished as Thackery if she had said it. But she went ignored as they decided how to punish Thackery. Winifred called her book to help her decide what Thackery's fate should be. Annabelle suddenly clung to him, fiingers closing around and clutching bunches of his shirt. Her face pressed into his chest. She shook madly. She did not want Thackery to die. She never wanted anyone to die. She stared at the witches. Fear very present on her face. Thackery was just as scared as her. But her small bony fingers clutching to him brought on a wave a brief comfort. He did not know why. He just clung back as fearful as her. She felt his fingers cling to her arms and she swallowed the lump in her throat. She whispered to him. Low enough so the sister's could not hear. "I'm scared..." Never in her life would she had thought she was capable of admitting that. To a boy especially. Even when she was a child she had never admitted it to her parents. Thackery was surprised at first too. He stared down at the trembling girl and his eyes softened. "Sssh..." he whispered. "I won't let anything happen to you." He resisted the urge to kiss her forhead as he made that promise.

"Hm. His punishment must be more fulsome, more lingering."  
Suddenly Winifred froze as Sarah whined. "And what about the girl?"  
Annabelle huddled close to Thackery and was about to cry. She shook her head and Thackery suddenly clutched her tighter. He did not want anything to happen to her. He clutched her protectivly. Winifred cooed mockingly at them as she searched through her book.

"Oh, how about a punishment befitting for lovers!!!" She cackled evilly along with her sisters.

She skimmed her book and Annabelle bit back a shrieck as Winifred exclaimed.

"Oh! Ahhh! Perfect!" She slammed her book shut and Sarah quickly stashed it away. Annabelle was visibly shaking now. She let out a little yelp as the witches faced them. Thackery glared at them and suddenly shoved Anna behind him.

"No one is going to touch her!"

Winifred, Mary and Sarah giggled delightfully. They did not feel threatened at all. They were being amused! Thackery felt like a failure and Anna felt like ripping out their throats. Winifred turned to her sister Mary and giggled as she spoke, feeling engenious.

"As usual. Their punishment shall not be to die,"  
"No?"

"But to live forever with their guilt."

Annabelle stared at her. She did not like the sound of that. She wished more than anything that this was all just a nightmare. Where she could just close her eyes and count to three, waking up to find herself sleeping in the bed next to Isabel. But she knew very well that this was far from a nightmare. This was reality. What were they going to do to them? She was so scared. She wanted to start crying for her father.

She whimpered a bit as her sisters started to chant.  
"As what, Winnie, as what?"  
"Jump back!"

Annabelle's eyes watered as Winnie started chanting. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she clung to Thackery's back. This was not happening. She shut her eyes and cried silently. She had this feeling in her gut that she was either never going to see Thackery or her parents again. The sound of the witches' chanting filled her ears. Making her go numb with fear and dread.

"Twist the bones and bend the back."  
"Itch-it-a-cop-it-a, Mel-a-ka-mys-ti-ca."  
"Trim him of his baby fat."  
"Itch-it-a-cop-it-a, Mel-a-ka-mys-ti-ca."

She gasped.  
"THACKERY!"

She suddenly felt him tense up under her hands and cried out in horror. "NO!"

"Give him fur as black as black. Just..."  
"like..."

"this!"

And he was groaning, doubling over in pain. Annabelle tried to keep him on his feet but as he sank down to the ground she was brought down with him. Her eyes wide with fear and tear filled. She shook her head, feeling useless. She was useless against magic. She couldn't help him at this point and hated herself for it. She cried softly and shook her head as she felt his shirt and skin slowly turn to black fur. She heard the sickening twist and bending of bones as he was slowly transformed into a black cat. She slouched down there on her knees as she slowly peered down at the cat. The cat who was Thackery. He twitched his ears, perked his head up at Anna and meowed softly.

Sarah jumped up and down.  
"And the girl Winnie!?" She giggled impatiently.  
"What about the girl!?"

Winnie grinned evily and waved her hands over Annabelle's head.  
"Ah yes... and now for you my dear..." She gently touched Anna's chin. The young girl had her head titlted down, staring at Thackery, tears kept streaming down her face. She couldn't believe it. She was in compelete shock. He had been punished to live as a cat for the rest of his life. She barely noticed Winnie until she started chanting.

"Canine the girl shall be."  
"Itch-it-a-cop-it-a, Mel-a-ka-mys-ti-ca."

"The feline's own worst enemy."

"Itch-it-a-cop-it-a, Mel-a-ka-mys-ti-ca."

She suddenly felt a tug in her stomach. Like a stone being dropped down into the pit of it. Nausea washed over her and she clutched her stomach, groaning a bit. With the sound of a hiss it suddenly passed. She blinked and looked up, dazed. Thackery was now attached to Winnie's face and her sister's were running around her, unable to think of what to do to get him off. She gasped, not wanting to leave Thackery behind but knew he had done it for her. He had kept his promise and gave her a chance to escape. She quickly pulled herself to her feet and made a mad dash to the front door. Her fingers were upon the lock when Sarah suddenly had a hold of her once again. Sarah hissed in her ear and Anna cried out. But she was suddenly dropped as Sarah jumped back at the pounding at the door. It was the town's folk. They had come to investigate the witches.

"LET US IN!" They shriecked and without hesitation. Without the witches being able to restrain her, she nearly ripped the lock off the door and bolted out into the crowd of angry people. Carrying torches and pitchforks. The mob gasped as they saw her race out. In a split second everything went silent and all anyone could hear was the empty echos of Anna's sobbing.

As if like a title wave, panic and violence came crashing down over the people. Most ran inside the house to cease the witches. But to their horror, they had discovered the bodies of Isabel Moriarity and Emily Binx. The witches were roughly ceased and dragged out, screeching and hollering. Most of the women and a man had rushed to Annabelle. Hugging her and comforting her until her parents arrived. She ran to her father and clung to him. Arms around his waist, face buried in his stomach. He stroked his daughter's head as a gallows was constructed in front of the witches' house. He glared at them and soon joined Thackery Binx's parents as they interrogated the witches. After several hours the witches were stood on barrels. Anna had been silent the whole time. Refusing to make eye contact with the witches. Safely protected in her mother's arms. Her mother stood with Thackery's mother, both weeping for their lost children.

"Winifred Sanderson." Thackery's father stood next to Anna's father. He glared up at the witches.  
"Yes?"  
"I will ask thee one final time."  
"Yes?"  
"What hast thou done with my son, Thackery!?"

"Thackery, Hmm."  
"Answer me!"

Annabelle started trembling as she brought her eyes to rest on Winifred. Would she tell the truth? Or lie like vile the demon she was and leave Thackery to his fate? And what of her curse? Had it been completed? Or was she truly out of harms way? She deeply wish she had been cursed along side Thackery. She did not want him to bear his curse on his own.

"Well, I dont know. Cat's got my tongue!"

Thunder rolled across the town and Annabelle screamed as the witches giggled. She toar herself from her mother's arms and she flew towards the witches in a rage.

"YOU LYING OLD HAG!!!" She spat out. She glared up at Winifred as lightning light up her face menacingly.  
"TELL THEM THE TRUTH!" She pointed an accusing finger at Winifred. "She lies!"

Even though she knew deep down that the town folks would never believe her. She went ahead and babbled on anyway. Not caring. As long as she got the truth out.

"She cursed him!" Everyone gasped as she paced in front of the gallows. They were listening in fear and anticipation.  
"She has turned him into a cat!" The faces on the town's people fell.

Winifred smirked and beamed down at Anna. Shaking her head and clicking her tongue.  
"Poor poor child. I am afraid she has gone mad..."

Anna shook her head and cried as her father stepped towards her.

"Come on Anna... you just need some sleep." His voice was soft and tender.  
"N-NO! You have to believe my words! I speak the truth!!" she shook her head and screamed at the top of her lungs as her father scooped her up. She glared at Winifred as she kicked and squirmed.

"EVIL OLD HAG! I HOPE YOU ROTT IN THE DEEPEST CIRCLE OF HELL!"

Winifred smirked and Anna knew that she was not going to get away unpunished. The curse had been succesfully bestowed upon her. She didn't know what it was yet. But she knew it was going to affect her life forever. She screamed as she was carried away. A black cat meowed frantically as it rubbed against Thackery and Anna's fathers' legs. The cat was just pushed to the side. It sat down and licked it's lips. Watching with a gloomy look as Annabelle was carried off, screaming and kicking.

She never had the privilage of witnessing the hanging of the Sanderson sisters. She had wanted nothing more but for them to die. She never understood why Thackery wasn't released from his curse. They were dead. Why had their magic not been removed from him? She went on not knowing. She had not cared about what her curse was though. She was more concerned about seeing Thackery again.

Please review? u.u;;


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note - I apologize for the the time I took to post it. Life has been hectic. And I got writers block... but those are such excuses. I am so sorry. Here it is, finally.

Don't own anyone but Annabelle, Isabel, Samuel, Margaret Moriarity and Father Edmond Dawson.

Hope you enjoy.

**Chapter 2**

A crack of thunder rumbled across the sky.

It roared throughout the clouds and shook the very foundations of every member of the Moriarity household. Margaret, Anna's mother, was seated at the only true piece of furniture they owned. An extremely sratched up and mutilated table. It had been passed down the line of women in Anna's family. She stroked her swollen belly that was heavy with child, lovingly. Her eyebrows creased together in fear, her eyes sad and her lips turned down into a frown. She flinched every time she heard her first born born child yell out in terror and despair.

Ever since their return from that dreadful night, Anna did nothing but mope around in mourning. She had never came from the house ever since her rescue from the clutches of the sisters. The young, dark haired girl had been so traumitized by the passing of her only sister and childhood friend, Thackery Binx. Margaret had become increasingly worried for her daughter's emotional health. For the first few nights, the smalled boned woman, with long flowing blond hair, would lay beside her daughter as she weeped silently. Stroking her hair and whispering sweetly to her. But nothing brought the young girl comfort and for weeks the girl had not slept a wink.

Thats when the rumors started.

Gossip crashed over the town like a monsterous tidal wave. Accusations were directed and flung at the family. It first started with the claim that Anna had been a witch herself and had been in league with the Sanderson sisters. Than they even went to the extreme, saying that Anna had aided the sisters in murdering both the young girls and the adolescent boy. But Margaret refused to believe the filth and lies. But the outrageous things Anna had shouted that night, shook the townfolks nerves, including Anna's father. Samuel shouted, yelled, argued with his wife and made the trembling girl cry herself to sleep every night. He demanded her to tell the truth. He even started to give into the rumors.

And thats what brought them to this night.

Samuel had reached the end of his rope. He was through with waiting for his daughter to return to her senses. In a way, his young and loving wife believed he couldn't take the pain in knowing that his daughter had taken part in such a hideous act of creulty. He wanted to believe all the gossip was not true, he wanted his little girl back. That fear and love brought him to call the priest to their house on that stormy night.

Upon the request of Samuel Moriarity...

The priest began the long, painful and useless excorsism on Annabelle Lynn Moriarity.

She sobbed.  
Twisted in pain.  
Ached with despair.  
Cried out in fear.  
Begged to see her mother.  
She screamed Thackery's name at the top of her lungs.

But all her struggles were pointless. Her father kept her pinned as Father Edmond Dawson sprinkled holy water on her, laying dozens of crucifixs all around her body and screamed in a frightful voice a various array of passages from the Holy Book.

Annabelle never understood nor accepted why her parents did this to her. All she knew was that they had betrayed her. Giving up on her, they threw her away into the darkness of mistrust and hurt. They had strayed from understanding and sympathy. They lead her to the malicious townfolks and left her to the mercy of their lies, rumors and false accusations.

Shaking her head and crying, she had begged her father to not touch her. She let out one more rasping scream that mingled in with the most violent clash of thunder they had heard that night. Sweat was caked upon her face as she tossed her head back. She flailed her legs and a deep aching started to flare up deep in her chest, right where her heart was located. Her heart beat with such furious and passionate pain, she clawed at her father, digging her nails into his arms. Within a second they phased into a onyx black. Samuel stared down in horror as he clutched his daughter, her scream transforming into a loud howl of pain.

Thats when the priest froze with fear and subsided with his preaching.

It felt as if someone was lighting a fire deep within her belly. The wildfire quickly spread all throughout her body and tears streamed down her face. Flowing fast and full of salt that burned the cuts on her cheeks. Her nails drew blood as they grew pointed and thinner. She choked and thats when a sickening cracking noise filled the room. Bones were twisted and Anna jerked violently, jerking from her fathers grip and hitting the floor. She clutched her stomach as she puked all over the floor of her room. She sobbed as she slammed her shoulder against the floor, soft growling noises sharply escaping her throat as the she felt her bones shift. She dug her sharp claw like finger nails into the wood of the floor as her bones shaped themselves into something different. Something uncomfortable. The pain was so excruciating. She barely could take it any longer. Just when the pain was amouting up to the most worst possibly, she layed on her side and bliss washed over her.

Her senses opened up. Everything came washing over her. All the most delicious smells of the world invaded her nose. The color of the floor was enhanced from a pale, dirty brown to the most deepest chocolate color. The cracks and rumbles of thunder felt like earthquakes to her ears and she could hear even the smallest cricket shift through the grass outside. She layed and basked in the wonders of nature and the ecstasy of the world. She soaked it in and at that beautiful moment, she realized that she was not of a human any more. She realized that this was the curse that Winnifred Sanderson had bestowed upon her.

"Anna?"

The frail voice that reach her was full of worry and despair. It was that desperate tone or her mother that had almost called her human nature to take ahold of her and bring her to her senses. But thats when her father made the final mistake of his life. He shouted at her harshly in the most angriest hiss she had ever heard. He commanded her to get up off the floor and stop hiding away in shame. Rage over took her and she lept to her four feet.

Margaret, to her horror, never saw her daughter raise from the floor. What she saw was a charcoal black, wolf like, dog. Its hair a frenzied array of thick fur, its eyes glowing with a fierce and enraged amber glow. It picked itself off the floor and crept foreward. All three of the adults had backed away as the rabid animal bared its menacing teeth. Lighting light up the window and illuminated the room with a brillant white flash.

And thats all it took for Samuel, Margaret and the priest to be blinded.

The large wolf dog leapt, took flight and collided with Samuel Moriarity. Its large canines captured the left side of his face and he shriecked out of shock. Deeper the creature's teeth sunk, the more damage it made and left. Blood splattered all over the floor and there she, now as a dog, left her home. She took flight and raced out of the cabin she grew up in. She left her father laying on the floor, crying in agony and bleeding from where his face had been permanetly torn to shreds. There she left her mother, childless only for a brief period. And there she left her memories of the sister she failed to protect.

She escaped into the forest.  
And how she wished they could read her mind.

She had not been hiding away with shame.  
But with love that had been taken from her in just the briefest of moments.

The storm cleared.  
And a lonely howl passed throughout the forest that slowly became illuminated due to the morning sun.

* * *

A woman stood atop a hill, pressed closed to her loving husband.

She clutched a small baby in her arms, his hair as dark as the night. She kissed his hair as it was blown softly by the wind that floated around them. The birds sang mirthfully, the crickets chirped and they could pick up the sounds of small children laughing and playing down in the town.

Two small and gray tombstones stared back at them.

But, as people watched them standing before the graves, many were shocked to find that it was not the woman that was bent over crying over the loss of their two young daughters.

But it was the man.


End file.
